Dying to Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

In this truly inspirational audio book, Anita Moorjani relates how, after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body began shutting down - overwhelmed by the malignant cells spreading throughout her system. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience (NDE) where she realized her inherent worth... and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was released from the hospital within weeks - without a trace of cancer in her body!

I listened to this book twice. There is a vast cavern of insight and once just wasn't enough to process it all. There are other books out there describing 'Near Death Experience' , but this one can be verified - - including an ultimate cancer recovery from the brink of death - - and the awareness of events happening beyond the body's resting place. I found this author to be credible and articulate. My favorite part of this book is the ending when she answers questions submitted to her. My truth resonated with each answer. I found myself repeating "yes" "yes" "yes!"

What if......all of humanity could adopt this type of consciousness? What if we could all suspend judgment and allow others to be who they are? What if we could abolish fear and the consequences of it?

I recommend this book to those with open minds.....or venturing into 'open mind territory'.

Faithful Place: A Novel

New York Times best-selling author Tana French has won the prestigious Edgar, Barry, Macavity, and Anthony awards. As her third novel featuring the Dublin Murder Squad opens, 19-year-old Frank Mackey is waiting in vain for Rosie, who he’s supposed to run away to London with. But when she doesn’t show, Frank leaves Dublin without her—thinking never to return.

The ending. This book was really enjoyable to read. LOVE the narrator and his many accents. Great character building and colorful descriptions of life in Dublin. As I got close to the end, I was praying for a twist. There were plenty of opportunities! Plenty of motives. But no, the initial bad guy suspect just confesses at the end and "Bob's your Uncle". I was actually stunned when Audible said "The end". All along I had been recommending this book to my UK born husband. Once it ended, I told him to not bother.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting was the family dynamics which will sound familiar to many. Kinda cliche in some ways.......a domineering Irish Mom with a good heart. A drunken Irish Dad. The least interesting? did I mention the ending?

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with Rosie in them. Her character was colorfully drawn and fun to 'listen' to.

Night Film: A Novel

On a damp October night, beautiful young Ashley Cordova is found dead in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Though her death is ruled a suicide, veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley’s life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive, cult-horror-film director Stanislas Cordova - a man who hasn’t been seen in public for more than thirty years.

I really thought I was going to love this book. I found myself enjoying the Narration and the interaction among the main characters. Some of the metaphors were brilliant. But the ending absolutely ruined it for me. I listened to the beginning again.....I listened to the ending again.....and felt as if the entire book was a tease with no clear resolution. As others have mentioned, better editing and an ending worthy of so many pages.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Hard to say. Something 'lighter' I'm sure.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed Marlow's intriguing memories of life at "The Peak".

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I don't remember the reactions along the way because the ending left me so irritated.

Big Little Lies

Pirriwee Public's annual school Trivia Night has ended in a shocking riot. One parent is dead. The school principal is horrified. As police investigate what appears to have been a tragic accident, signs begin to indicate that this devastating death might have been cold-blooded murder. In this thought-provoking novel, number-one New York Times best-selling author Liane Moriarty deftly explores the reality of parenting and playground politics, ex-husbands and ex-wives, and fractured families.

Absolutely! The characters are real and multi-dimensional. Liane's grasp of the mind's inner dialogue is spot on. If you have ever left a dangerous and toxic relationship, and then become confused at your feelings afterward.....let me just say.....this book is healing. She touches on the complexity of today's blended families and paints a true picture.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Big Little Lies?

There is a wonderful twist that occurs during the School's Trivia Night party. Did NOT see that coming.

What about Caroline Lee’s performance did you like?

I love listening to her. She separated the many female characters well. I found myself trying (unsuccessfully) to mimic her Australian pronunciations. Her inflections brought life to the reading.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes. One Character suffers verbal abuse and is left speechless and stunned. The remarks stay with her and color her world. She knows the words were cruel and just meant to hurt, but she questions the truth of them....knowing that this too is illogical. I think many will be able to relate to her struggle.

Any additional comments?

Before this, I had also read "The Husband's Secret" and again found the writing to be rich and original. There always seems to be a surprise and I'm looking forward to reading more of this Author.

The Martian

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?"

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I have to say that I absolutely did not like this book.....which makes me part of the one percent I guess. So many stellar reviews. I really don't get it. Halfway through I skipped to the final chapter just to see how it ended and get it overwith. It's all technical, computations, middle-school humor, predictable, no character interactions and no personal information about our stranded astronaut to make me care what happens to him. BUT, I asked my husband (I.T. geek) to listen just to prove my point. HE liked it. Found it fascinating and thought the humor was actually funny. BUT he's British, so he doesn't really know much about humor :) So I changed my ONE star to a THREE to be fair.

Would you recommend The Martian to your friends? Why or why not?

If I had any friends who were Scientists, Mathematicians or Astronauts......I would recommend this to them. For my friends who like a good story with 'feeling' and suspense and characters playing off of each other.....I think not.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the beginning.....how he finds himself stranded and how the reality of his situation sinks in. You can't help wondering what you would do.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Only by force.

Any additional comments?

It all comes down to preference as we know. I commend this author for writing a book that has captured such a following. The research must have been intense and exhausting. Just not my style.

The Bone Season

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant, and in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.... It is raining the day her life changes forever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford - a city kept secret for 200 years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race.

I would if they prefer books written for for the "Twilight" generation. Meaning the book series and not the elderly.

What did you like best about this story?

The author created an imaginary future (WHY is the future always so bleak?!) with new creatures and new politics and talents demonstrated by those deemed unnatural. There is a great deal of detail describing abilities and magical remedies highlighting an imaginative mind behind the story. I also like the narration. I think she handled the various characters well and I am still amazed at how anyone can do multiple accents and genders and age groups.

The Cuckoo's Calling

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: his sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

I cannot believe how disappointed I am in this book! All the hoopla and glowing reviews.....I feel I can no longer trust the legitimacy of the reviewers. Go back and read the reviews. So many are nearly identical. "Who is this great new author?" "I hope they make it into a series!" Audible asks "what is your favorite scene?" and the answer is some obscure page in the novel. There is NO depth to the characters. They are simply one-dimensional. Good guys and Bad guys. The ONLY action in this book is the initial balcony fall on page one and the fight at the very end. EVERYTHING in between is just conversation. I'm serious. Just conversation and verbal speculation. The Detective puts all the pieces together in the final pages and must be using a crystal ball. There is nothing to explain how he figured it all out. We are enlightened FINALLY while the Detective relays his hypothesis to the killer. The narrator did a great job with the various accents. I can't imagine how boring this book would be to actually READ. We all know who Robert Galbraith is. I expected SO much more and feel deceived by what seem to be fake reviews. Save your credits!!

Suspect

LAPD cop Scott James is not doing so well, not since a shocking nighttime assault by unidentified men killed his partner, Stephanie, nearly killed him, and left him enraged, ashamed, and ready to explode. He is unfit for duty - until he meets his new partner. Maggie is not doing so well, either. The German shepherd survived three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan sniffing explosives before she lost her handler to an IED and sniper attack, and her PTSD is as bad as Scott’s. They are each other’s last chance.

If you're a dog person and you also like a mystery, this one's for you. It takes off from page one and rarely slows down. The characters are real and flawed and doing the best they can. But Maggie the dog is the best part. I liked everything about this book, except ....it ended. I'd like to request a series including Maggie and her "pack" and her inner thoughts. I shared this with my husband and he just finished it today. He claims it's the best book he's listened to in a long time. So it should appeal to ALL genders .... even if you're secretly a cat person.

Touch & Go: A Novel

Justin and Libby Denbe have the kind of life you’d find in the pages of a glossy magazine: A beautiful 14-year-old daughter. A gorgeous brownstone on a tree-lined street in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. A great marriage, admired by all. A perfect life. When investigator Tessa Leone arrives at the crime scene in the foyer of the Denbes’ home, she finds scuff marks on the floor and a million tiny pieces of bright green Taser confetti. The family appears to have been abducted.

I told him he would, but he figured it was basic "chick lit" and skipped over it for a while. Once he started listening, he would talk to me about the story and give me his latest opinion of 'who dun it'. The book introduces quite a few suspects and provides motives for the possible crime committed. So it keeps you guessing. My husband's only complaint was that he wanted more "action" and less of the heroine's inner thoughts. But I guess that's what makes it appeal more to many female readers. The narrator did a great job and you are kept guessing until nearly the end.

The Power of One

Born in a South Africa divided by racism and hatred, this one small boy will come to lead all the tribes of Africa. Through enduring friendships with Hymie and Gideon, Peekay gains the strength he needs to win out. And in a final conflict with his childhood enemy, the Judge, Peekay will fight to the death for justice.

There is so much of this book that I really liked. While the beginning is disturbing - - anytime a child is mistreated - - you usually figure that there will be some sort of justice or happy ending to make the ride worthwhile. The narrator did a great job with the varying characters. They were all distinct , but somewhat one-dimensional. Either good guys or bad guys. The ending spoiled it for me. And this is a long book to wade through to find yourself feeling a bit cheated at the end. It felt to me as if the author had a deadline and had to finish in a hurry to "wrap things up". The leading character's behavior did not match the boy you had grown up with along the span of the story. I found it disappointing, but again, found many things to enjoy along the way.

How Lucky You Are

In the tradition of Emily Giffin and Marisa de los Santos, How Lucky You Are is an engaging and moving novel about three women struggling to keep their long-standing friendship alive. Waverly, who's always been the group's anchor, runs a cozy bakery but worries each month about her mounting debt. Kate is married to a man who's on track to be the next governor of Virginia, but the larger questions brewing in their future are unsettling her.

This story focuses on our tendency to envy the seemingly perfect lives of others. Due to their wealth, perfect relationship, perfect jobs, bodies, and home. As a woman, there is too much to adequately describe how familiar these characters feel. You know these people and you will see yourself in at least one of them. I found myself "nodding" along when brilliant metaphors were woven into inner thoughts. I found myself feeling less alone, and more connected to our fellow travelers as we apparently celebrate and suffer similar experiences. I found a personal epiphany through one of the characters and forgave choices made earlier in life. I will probably want to read this again. The Narrator is ideal and portrays the various characters perfectly. When I finished this book, I searched Audible for other books by this author.....only to discover that this is her first one. She has a gift and I hope she continues to use it.

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